IllinoisState wrote:I'm not optimistic about what is out there. I hope for Denver, New Mexico State, and for us to try and pillage a team from either the A-10, CAA, or Northeast.
With the possible exception of SLU if they get left behind by the Big East (I'll comment more on this below), I don't see the MVC being able to poach anyone from the A10. The A10 has a better TV deal and, even taking this year into account, has more NCAA credits to distribute (those one bid years for the MVC are killers). In fact, I'd go so far as to say that there is a bigger risk that the MVC loses Bradley to the A10 than there is in the A10 losing anyone to the MVC.
With respect to SLU -- they will be going to the Big East in the next few years. I think this is true for several reasons: (1) they present the largest TV market of the remaining catholic schools; (2) They are a Jesuit institution, which will insure them the votes of Marquette, Xavier, Georgetown and Creighton; (3) They would serve as the best travel partner for Creighton and are the most desired among the current western schools in the A10.
As I've said before, the A10 team that gets left out in the cold in all of this is most likely Dayton, especially if the rumors about Xavier attempting to block them are true. The Big East will want to keep an even number of east/west schools, so I predict SLU and either Richmond or VCU (if they want to venture into the world of public schools). Dayton is too far east to have any interest in the MVC.
As to poaching from the CAA or Northeast, two obvious questions arise: (1) who the heck is worth grabbing - ODU, VCU and George Mason have all bailed on the CAA and the Northeast is, well, the Northeast; and (2) whomever you'd covet, the travel is going to make it financially impossible barring some incredible TV deal.
